DRAUGHT proofing your home on the cheap is an easy way to slash bills by £40 a year, according to an energy expert.
Martyn Bridges at Worcester Bosch, said: “Draught-proofing is one of the quickest ways to keep your home warm while reducing your energy usage and lowering your bills.”
Draughts can push up energy bills as you’ll have the heating on more[/caption]
The key, he adds, is to begin by looking for places where heat is escaping.
He said: “Seek out any gaps, holes or cracks in your windows, doors and floorboards. Your focus needs to be on keeping the cold out – and the warmth in.”
As we reported previously, you can check for any draughts using toilet paper.
Having located any gaps, you then need to take action to plug them.
Martyn said: “My first tip is to buy a roll of weather-stripping. You can get this online, or from your local DIY store, and it works a treat. For me this is a bit of a no-brainer.”
You can pick up six metres of draught-proofing strips on Amazon for as little as £4.99. To apply, simply clean the surface and measure carefully before cutting strips to size. Peel off the backing and then press each one firmly along the door or frame, making sure you’ve got a tight seal.
Martyn’s next tip to banish draughts involves investing in another low-cost gizmo.
He said: “Get your hands on a draught excluder to go along the bottom of your door. This will block cold air from entering and warm air from escaping.”
At the likes of B&M, Wilko and The Range you can pick one up for under a tenner.
Better still, if you don’t want to shell out at all, you can fashion your own excluder from items you already have around the home.
Try stuffing rags into one of the legs from an old pair of tights, or placing old towels at the base of your doors.
Martyn said: “Blocking out draughts is an easy way to make savings on your energy costs. It could help you cut your bills by £40 a year – while also making your property warm and snug.”
As we reported previously, you might want to try applying window film to single-glazed windows to create an additional layer of insulation – or you might want to try using caulk to fill gaps that cause draughts.
Another small change put forward by Martyn – which won’t cost you a penny – is being diligent about remembering to close doors.
The energy-saving pro said: “This is especially important in rooms with external facing walls. Shutting doors prevents the warm air from being cooled down – reducing the need to have the heating on.”
Dealing with draughts isn’t the only hack that Martyn suggests to try and help keep a lid on energy expenses.
The home heating supremo also recommends making use of your ‘thermostatic radiator valves’. If you need to replace faulty ones, you can get a two-pack on Amazon for around £10.
(If, however, you need to start from scratch, each valve and thermostatic head will cost around £20 – and you would also need an installer to fit them for you.)
What energy bill help is available?
There’s a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you’re struggling to get by.
If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.
This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.
If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don’t think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.
Several energy firms have schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.
But eligibility criteria vary depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000.
British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.
You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.
EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.
Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).
The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill.
Some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you’re struggling.
Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.
TRVs, as they are known, automatically reduce the flow of hot water from your boiler to the radiator once your room is at its desired temperature.
This can help lower the amount of gas your boiler needs to heat your central heating system.
As a guide, you should look to set your TRV to 2 or 3 in the average room. If you don’t need to heat a room, set your TRV on the lowest setting.
Martyn said: “Better still, look into installing a robust set of controls, including a programmer and a thermostat – as well as TRVs.”
This combination of measures could save you up to £110 a year, according to the Energy Saving Trust.
“For even more assurance, why not install a smart thermostat,” said Martyn.
“One of these devices is connected to an app, turning your phone into a remote control – allowing you to manage your home heating from anywhere.”
You can, he adds, then think about controlling your heating zonally.
“This ensures you’re paying to only heat the rooms you need to,” he said.
Another simple hack from the energy-saving aficionado involves lowering the flow temperature from the boiler to the radiators.
“If you have a combi boiler, then this can help you lower energy consumption,” he said.
“A rule of thumb to follow is to set the flow temperature as low as you can so that it heats your home comfortably – and in a reasonable amount of time.”
Just bear in mind that this can change from season to season.
Martyn said: “Remember to change the flow temperature accordingly to ensure you aren’t using unnecessary energy in the warmer months.”
When the warmer days of spring do eventually arrive, another simple tip is hang washing outside to dry.
“If you can avoid using a tumble dryer, you could save £50 a year,” said Martyn.
“And while you’re at it, when doing your laundry, try reducing your washes to one run per week on a 30-degree cycle. This could save you an extra £24 annually.”
Spring is also the ideal time to allow natural sunlight to warm your home.
Be sure to open the curtains during the day to reduce your reliance on central heating.
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